Sarah Palin's daughter gives birth to baby boy, reports say

Tuesday 30 December 2008 05.13 EST
First published on Tuesday 30 December 2008 05.13 EST

Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of the former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, has given birth to a baby boy, according to reports.

After speaking to the politician's aunt Colleen Jones, People magazine reported on its website that Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston was born in Palmer, Alaska, on Saturday. The baby's weight was given as 7lb 7oz.

"The baby is fine and Bristol is doing well. Everyone is excited," Jones told the magazine. Sarah Palin's office declined to comment.

News that Bristol Palin was pregnant emerged shortly after her mother was selected as the Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate last summer. The pregnancy made headlines on the first day of the Republican national convention in September because the then 17-year-old was not married.

The religious right, which saw Palin as one of its own, rallied round Bristol and praised her for upholding traditional values by deciding to have the baby instead of having an abortion.

McCain's Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, who went on to win the election, told supporters to respect the Palin family's privacy.

In a statement at the time, the Palins, who have five children, said their daughter "came to us with news that we as parents knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned", adding: "Bristol has our unconditional love and support."

They said Bristol intended to marry the father, Levi Johnston, a former high school classmate.

Sherry Johnston, his mother, said in October that a summer wedding was being considered.

Her son, who dropped out of high school to take a job on the North Slope oil fields as an apprentice electrician, said he had been shocked to learn Bristol was pregnant but had quickly warmed to the idea of being a father.

He said the two had planned to get married even before she became pregnant.

A keen hunter, he hinted at the time that the couple were expecting a boy and said he was already looking forward to taking him hunting and fishing.

Sherry Johnston was arrested on felony drug charges this month after state troopers served a search warrant at her home in Wasilla. According to the authorities, she sent text messages to two police informants in which she discussed making drug transactions involving OxyContin, a strong prescription painkiller.